1. The Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to various medical devices deliverable and deployable within a lumen. More particularly, the invention relates to devices for shielding a medical device and methods for delivering a medical device into a subject's body while minimizing or preventing contamination of or damage to the medical device.
2. The Relevant Technology
Stents, grafts, and a variety of other endoprostheses are used in interventional procedures, such as for treating aneurysms, lining or repairing vessel walls, filtering or controlling fluid flow, and expanding or scaffolding occluded or collapsed vessels. Such endoprostheses may be delivered and used in virtually any accessible body lumen of a human or animal, and may be deployed by any of a variety of recognized means. One recognized use for a vascular endoprosthesis is for the treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis in blood vessels. For example, after a patient undergoes a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or similar interventional procedure, a stent is often deployed at the treatment site to improve the results of the medical procedure and reduce the likelihood of restenosis.
Typically, a vascular endoprosthesis, such as a stent, is delivered by a delivery sheath, such as a catheter, to a desired location or deployment site inside a body lumen or other tubular organ. In order to deliver a stent or other medical device to a desired location, a guide wire or other device may be used to add steering and support. The guide wire is generally threaded through and/or over the delivery system. Therefore, systems and methods for loading a guide wire may be desirable.